4)How could one pray to an higher power that was a door
knob, a light bulb, or the group.

5)What was a “spiritual experience” and why could it be
changed to an even less understood “spiritual awakening.”

6)What place did the many biblical expressions and
practices have in the development of Alcoholics Anonymous.

7)Considering that A.A. seemed to about some “god” as “we
understood Him,” how could one square some member’s self-made religion and
understanding with the Bible’s many descriptions of God, Jesus Christ, and the
power of the Holy Spirit.

8)How could one conclude that alcoholism was incurable
when the early AAs and the latest

Big Book edition said that Bill W., Dr.
Bob, and Bill D. all said they had been cured.

9)Why were people quashed, intimidated, and criticized
for talking about God and the Bible on the grounds that this violated some
unspecified “Tradition” or arbitrary rule.

10)Were
the suppressors acting on some authority, some unknown rule, or some written
declaration by Bill or Bob or the Big Book or the “Traditions” that made them
right.

Later--as I was in direct touch with the founders’ families,
friends, and writings, how clear to me it was that I was unearthing the real
history and roots of A.A. At the same time, they more and more endorsed my
writings. They told me additional facts. They gave me additional leads. They
showed, and often gave me or allowed me to copy volumes and volumes of books,
papers, and documents. They spoke freely on points that directly contradicted
so many of the things I had been hearing.

And was all this a reason for anyone’s leaving Alcoholics
Anonymous, for joining some religious alternative, and for looking deeply for
the flaws, shortcomings, former and continuing mistakes the pioneers had embraced?
Some might say, “Yes.” Not I.

The Dim, Dark Hole I Encountered as a Sick, Troubled, Unreasoning
Newcomer

I realized that much of the negativity I was hearing was
coming from the mouths of those in the rooms who were making no attempt to
support their views and statements. They just stood fast on their dicta,
mouthed them on a “take it or leave it” basis, and filled the rooms with
darkness. Their intentions did not need to be an issue. The suppression and
evil behavior did. It could kill.

Nonetheless, I clung desperately to the life raft. I
believed and believe I had overcome alcoholism and sleeping pill addiction by
doing everything I could from the very first--right in the fellowship of
Alcoholics Anonymous. I quit. I stayed quit. And I have been continuously a
former alcoholic and addict. And more and more I was turning to God and the
Bible for the help, Despite the vociferous and continuing criticisms from my
sponsor and his sponsor, I was relying on the love, power, forgiveness, guidance,
and healing I so desperately needed. And I still do.

I needed rescue not just because of excessive drinking and
excessive abuse of sedatives. I needed it because of the self-manufactured web
of problems I was facing. These included problems of guilt, shame, anxiety,
fear, confusion, bewilderment, brain damage, nerve damage, loneliness, despair,
and domestic, legal, tax, criminal, reputation, livelihood, and abandonment by
former long-time friends, fraternity brothers, legal associates, clergy, and
clients. They could have seemed endless and beyond victory. But, with God’s
help, I began seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

As so many probably do, I was fighting for survival in the
fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. I was urged to participate, to serve, to learn
the Big Book, to take the Twelve Steps, and to help others. I sure did just
that. In fact, the Steps seemed to offer a path that would lead to rescue from
the Four Horsemen, of whom Bill Wilson wrote, and also from the problems that
were giving rise to them. Those A.A. life-changing ideas included abstinence
from alcohol; looking to God for help; cleaning up the wreckage that
resentment, self-seeking, dishonesty, and fear had generated. And then getting
on with the forward-looking growth the last three Steps seemed to offer.
Particularly I savored and relished the satisfaction that seeking, helping,
guiding, and befriending newcomers definitely made available. I still find that
same challenge, result, and reward.

Amidst it all, I became more and more aware of a growing
darkness in the rooms, the talk, the behavior, and the very limited understanding
of the very people who had been such so compassionate, helpful, and friendly.
Contrasted with this was my growing understanding and belief that Alcoholics
Anonymous had emerged from Christian roots.

Its founders and pioneers had relied on God. The early ones
insisted on belief in God, coming to Him through Jesus Christ, praying,
studying the Bible, observing Quiet Times and devotions, daily religious
comradeship and fellowship, and helping others. These facts became more and
more evident with every excursion into archives, literature, interviews,
“shrines,” documents.

At the same time, I could see the heavy hand of the same
Adversary who had tempted Eve, who had promulgated idolatry, who had wrought
such harm, who had rejected God, who had tempted Jesus, and who showed every
promise of being around and fulfilling the assurance in John 10:10. That was
Jesus’ statement that “the thief cometh but to stead, and to kill, and to
destroy.” And the Bible’s assurance that this enemy would be around until the
return of God’s Son. And even thereafter until given his just reward and
certain end. I found the early AAs believed that too.

Then I learned how much the early AAs had turned to God for help, how thoroughly they had endeavored to obey and serve Him,
and how successful they had been in
carrying out God’s great commission to go and tell.

I also saw and still see that only light could dispel
darkness. As it shone more brightly—the more quickly vanished the darkness of
defeat, the darkness of godlessness, the darkness of fear and hopelessness, and
the darkness of temptation, illness, and death.

God was and is that light. In Him there is no darkness. To
come to Him, one must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6). And this same illumination was carried
to early AAs who really wanted to rely on God and to do His bidding.

The Next Part to Follow—Defining the Errors, Myths, and Darkness

The gap in A.A. history was overwhelming. It left a huge
hole. One Roman Catholic priest and scholar, who held a Ph.D., called the hole
a lacuna. There was no assurance and
is no assurance that filling the dark hole with researched facts would suffice.
But, the inflow of myth and speculation, the outflow of relapsers and those
fleeing A.A., as well as those seeking other resources—many of which seemed to
offer no long-term deliverance—was worth dispelling. I do not necessarily hold
with the idea that “you have to give it away to keep it” is a truism. I do
believe that the hunger of many Christians for truth can be satisfied. I do
believe that the proliferation of groundless flows of myth can be staunched.
And I do believe that many who are now crying out for “old school A.A.” and its
successes can, with more full and accurate knowledge, be rewarded with
well-researched facts about that very fellowship.

Therefore, to guide others to the task of finding the errors
that need correcting, the next part will define those elements. Most important,
I do believe that many more suffering newcomers will thereby be relieved of
their alcoholism and addiction through trusting God, just as their founders
did. And those founders were relieved, and the promise that God could and would
if He were sought was fulfilled.

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About Me

Richard G. Burns holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Stanford University where he was Case Editor of the Stanford Law Review. He was a Phi Beta Kappa in his Junior Year at UC Berkeley. There he received an A.A. degree in economics with Honorable Mention. He was an Information and Education Specialist in the United States Army where he held the rank of Sgt. He attended the information-education school at Washington & Lee University. He practiced law in California from 1951 to 1986. He was president of the Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce, Corte Madera Center Merchants Council, Mill Valley Community Church, Redwoods Retirement Center, and Almonte District Improvemen Club. Also elected Director of the Almonte Sanitary District. He is a writer, historian, retired attorney, Bible student, CDAAC, and active recovered member of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous with continuous sobriety beginning April 21, 1986.

He writes under the pen name Dick B. He has devoted 24 years to researching the history and successes of the early A.A. Christian Fellowship in Akron; and published 46 titles, more than 1450 articles, and materials on Facebook, Twitter, MauiHistorian.Blogspot.com, Alcoholics Anonymous History.com, In the Rooms, Linked-in, Tumbler, MauiHistorian.Word Press.com, Aa Historian WordPress.com, AA History with Dick B. on cyber recovery social, Dick B. YouTube Channel, Articles Base, GoArticles.com, SearchWarp, Self Growth Experts, Social network forums on International Christian Recovery Coalition Forums, Recovery Internet Fellowship, Cyber Recovery, Daily Recovery, Christian Recovery Ministries, radio, TV, and over 70 audio blogs on the history subject. He regularly conducts radio interviews of Christian Recovery Leaders and Workers on www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com.

He is Executive Director of the International Christian Recovery Coalition and of Freedom Ranch Maui Incorporated. He is an Advisor to God's Way Ministry, a Christian Church and is also a consultant to Wyoming Pacific Oil Company. Listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Law, Who's Who in Finance, and Gale's Contemporary Authors